After DC area socialites, Michaele Salahi and her husband, Tareq, made headlines by so-called “crashing” President Obama’s first State Dinner, there was a great deal of concern that the White House security procedures were inadequate. There are reports that these supposed, “crashers” were in fact invited. Maybe it’s just a cover up … we won’t ever really know, just like the JFK assignation. No matter … we have moved on as the nation’s capital. In fact, we’re going to have our *own* dinner … right next door from the White house! And even better, everyone is invited – for a small fee, of course.

Photo courtesy of Washington Flyer, by Joshua Roberts

Acclaimed restaurateur Ashok Bajaj has a special invitation for those Washingtonians who were not invited to President Obama’s first State Dinner in honor of His Excellency Dr. Manmohan Singh Prime Minister of the Republic of India and Mrs. Gursharan Kaur.

On Thursday, January 21, 2010 at 7:30 p,m, The Bombay Club, just steps from the White House at 815 Connecticut Ave. NW, will attempt to duplicate the official Obama State Dinner menu … and only a reservation is required, no party crashing is necessary. The four-course menu will be priced at $65 (excluding tax and tip) and a wine pairing option featuring the same selection of wines from the State Dinner will be available for $25 per person. Preparing the dinner will be a talented team of chefs from Bajaj’s sister restaurants including Executive Chef Nilesh Singhvi of The Bombay Club, Executive Chef Vikram Sunderam of Rasika and Pastry Chef Adrienne Czechowski of The Oval Room.

The menu will showcase dishes from the actual State Dinner: Potato Eggplant Salad; Red Lentil Soup with Fresh Cheese; Roasted Potato Dumplings with Tomato Chutney, Chick Peas and Okra; Green Curry Prawns, Caramelized Salsify with Smoked Collard Greens and Coconut Aged Basmati. For dessert Pumpkin Pie Tart with Pear Tatin will be presented along with an assortment of Petits Fours.

Celebrating 21 years as Washington’s famed power dining location, The Bombay Club, which opened in 1988, has been revered by presidents and the political elite. It features a beautiful updated décor reminiscent of the old clubs in India. Esteemed guests who have frequented the restaurant included Former President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Former President George H. W. Bush, President Nelson Mandela and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to name a few. From the silver screen, notable stars such as Harrison Ford, Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell have also been fans of the authentic Indian fare. Since opening The Bombay Club, Ashok Bajaj has added several other highly successful restaurants to his collection in the nation’s capital, including 701, the Oval Room, Ardeo, Bardeo, Rasika and the newly opened Bibiana Osteria-Enoteca.